Tie tamping or ballasting machine



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Filed Sept. 27, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 if! M I C. JACKSON TIE TAMPING OR BALLASTING MACHINE June 11, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 27, 1955 .0 M0 @mw M ,N Y ,w w@ M y WW o June 11, 1957 c. JACKSON 2,795,198

TIE TAMPING OR BALLASTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 27, 1955 4 sheets-sheet 4 f4" 5yd/7 .3,6 /l ,gf j; W/ m jv/ 7:4' C 55 Ms if a #5 l y 3 O40 37 oAQ d f4 5 i W fz l o C, W 4^?? o o 57 Q m d o v Q O o ff f -g- 45%? ZlL/v/ INVENTOR.

www@ @M TIE TAMPING OR BALLASTING MACHINE Corwill Jackson, Ludington, Mich., assignor to Jackson Vibrators, Inc., Ludington, Mich.

Application September 27, 1955, Serial No. 536,886

12 Claims. (Cl. 104-12) This invention relates to tie tamping or ballasting machines of the type illustrated in my Patent No. 2,482,111 dated September 20, 1949, and in some respects is an embodiment and adaptation of certain features thereof and is also an improvement upon an adaptation of certain features of my pending application for Letters Patent Serial No. 403,798, led January 13, 1954.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a tie tamping or ballasting machine which is highly eflicient in tamping the ballast under the ties and raising the ties against the rails. Y Second, to provide a tamping machine of this class in which the tampers are automatically tilted toward the tie with a lever-like action as the tamping blades penetrate the ballast resulting from downward travel thereof in use.

Third, to provide improved means for mounting the vibrating units so that the vibrations thereof are not transmitted to the carriage or supporting parts.

Fourth, to provide a structure in which the horse power for driving the vibratory motors is materially reduced as compared to that required in previous machines of this type.

`Fifth, to provide a mounting means for the vibratory tamper units which prevents the operator from overloading' the vibrator motors by applying excessive downward pressure to the vibratory units.

Sixth, to provide means for resiliently supporting vibrav tory tarnping units which does not deteriorate under long Vcertain parts being shown conventionally and other parts being omitted.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view illustrating one of the pair of tamper units in retracted position and the other in lowered operative position or relation relative to the ballast, this being the remote unit Yof the pair as viewed in Fig. 2.

Fig; 3 is a fragmentary plan view showing the relation to the rails of the railway track when the machine is positioned thereon.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front elevationaly view with vthetamper-units in raised or retracted position.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view partially in section on line 5--5 of Fig. 3.

In the accompanying drawing 1 represents ballast, 2 .ties and -3 rails of a railway track. The carriage designated by the numeral 4 has track wheels 5 and is also pro- Vvided with wheels 6, the axles of which are disposed longitudinally of the carriage to facilitate placing the carriage upon and removing it from the track.

The commercial machine illustrated is provided with Iwo tamping units, one associated with each rail and as States Patent ICC these units are, as illustrated, desirably duplicates a description of one will suice.

At the front end the carriage is provided with upright ways7 for the crosshead slides 8. These slides are provided with way engaging rollers 9. The slides are provided with downwardly and forwardly projecting arms 1t) to which the crosshead 11 of I beam section in the embodiment illustrated is iixedly secured, the arms being provided with flanges 12 at their lower ends to which the crosshead is secured by bolts 13. The crossheads of the units are independently raised and lowered and variable down thrust applied thereto by means of rams, the cylinders 14 of the rams being mounted on the carriage. The plungers 15 of the rams are provided with cross arms 16 connected by the rods 17 to the slides 8 which are provided with laterally projecting brackets 18 to which the rods are connected.

The ways are connected at their upper ends by the beam 19 and are provided with braces 20 connected at 21 to the deck of the carriage and at 22 to the beam 19.

The downward movement of the crossheads is limited by stops 23 adjustably mounted on the uprights 24, the uprights having a series of holes 25 therein for the pins 26j To support the crossheads in fully retracted position rests v27 are provided whichV are rotatably supported Von the uprights to be swung into position to be engaged by the slides to support the crossheads and the parts mounted thereon in retracted position. The hydraulic rams are manually controlled to raise and lower the crossheads and apply variable down thrust to the crossheads. The manual control means for the rams is not illustrated; It will be understood that a suitable supply of fluid under pressure is provided and means provided to'control the same.

The control means illustrated and described in my before mentioned Patent 2,482,111 may be readily adapted to this present structure. It will be understood that the rams are of reversely actuated type.

The two tamping assemblies are desirably duplicates and are adapted for independent manipulation which is frequently desirable as it may be desired to tamp the ballast at one end of a tie at a greater degree or extent than at the other end. Further, the tampers of my present invention are so mounted that they are efficient in raising the tie against the underside of the rail as a result of forcing and compacting the ballast under the tie with an upward force.

Each tamping assembly comprises four vibratory tamping unitsy arranged in opposed pairs. The opposed pairs are spaced longitudinally of the crosshead and spaced to operate one on each side of a rail. The vibratory tamping units are mounted on the crossheads in a manner to effectively absorb or minimize the vibrations of the vibratory motors included therein and also in a manner to produce levering action of the tamping blades which action automatically results from the lowering of the blades of the tamper assemblies into the ballast. This mounting comprises pairs of vertically spaced bowed springs, desirably semi-elliptical leaf springs 29 and 30, the springs 29 being mounted on the top of the crosshead 11 and the springs 30 on the underside thereof. rl1`he spring mounting clamps 31 are secured in clamping relation to the springscentrally thereof by means of bolts 32 which also clamp the springs to the crosshead. Thel outer ends ofthese pairs of springs are connected by the links 33, the springs being provided with eyes 34 receiving the pivot bolts 351, sleeves 36 being in the embodiment illustrated provided for the bolts.

Hanger bars 37 are pivotally mounted on the links 33 at 35 intermediate the springs. These hanger bars 37 are provided with laterally projecting arms 38 at both ends thereof to which the hangers 39 are swingably connected.

The vhanger bars 37 are supported to swing in planes parallel, to the path of travel of the carriage whereas they the flexible strap like vibration absorbing members 41 i which are connected intermediate their ends to the hangers 39. The base member 40 is provided with studs 42 which supportedly engage `the ends of the members 4l, see Fig. 4.

The vibratory motor 43 is mounted on the base member with the axis of its rotor disposed longitudinally of the path' of travel of the carriage. The rotor of the vibratory motor is provided with an unbalancing weight as shown at 44, see Fig. 5.

The base :member 40 is` provided ,with `a depending bracket portion 45 towhich the blade attaching plate 46 is rigidly attached. A pair of `tamping `blades 47` `are provided for each `vibratory unit; These blades have inwardly curved lower end portions 48. The edges of the blades are preferably stepped providing a projecting tip 49 and shoulder like portions 50 separated by recesses 51.1` The tips 49 areeffectivein penetrating the ballast and also this shape of the blades tends to tilt the-vibratory units laterally toward the rails and work the ballast under the rails. As the tamping assemblies'arc lowered into the work the vibratory units are tilted oppositely and work the ballast under'the portions of the tie below the rails and at the same time effectively force and compact the ballast below the ties. To further that combined motion the lower end of the inner of the pair of blades projects substantially below the outer blades of the pairs as is best shown in Fig. 4.

To` limit the lateral tilting of the vibratory units toward the rails the straps 52 are provided, the straps being connected at their lower ends to the base members and at their upper ends to brackets 53 which are mounted on the `pivot bolts 35 connecting the hanger bars to the links 33u These straps 52 are adjustably connected to` the brackets 53 by means of the bolts 54 engaging the longitudinal slots 55 in the straps, see Fig. 2.

To limit the outward swing of the vibratory units straps 561are connected to the base members at 57 and to a supporting cross arm 58 mounted on the crosshead see Fig.'` 3; To rfurther limit the swinging of the crosshead longitudinally of the path of travel, straps 59 are connected at their lower ends to the inner ends of the hanger bars and at their upper ends to brackets 60 provided therefor on the crosshead. These straps 59 limit the downward swing or tilting ofthe hanger bars so that the vibratory units when retracted are in an upright position as shown in the near unit of Fig. 2 while the remote tamper unit is shown in its lowered operative position. It will be noted that in the near unit the straps 59 are taut vhie in the remote unit` they are relaxed or not under The brackets 60 are desirably yielding or springable so that in event one of the vibratory `units should engage a tie or other obstruction when the machine is being moved from one tie to another, for example, the supporting strap will yield and prevent breakage. As stated, the

tamper assemblies `are mounted for independent adjustment which permits their operation simultaneously or with one raised to inoperative position and the other lowered to the `desired operative position, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

To `further amplify the operation of the machine the weight of the vibratory units in one commercial embodiment is approximately 300 lbs. each or 600 lbs. total for each pair of units.` When suspending above the ballast, the supporting springs are curveddownwardly and the center to center distance between the ends of the springs in the particular assembly is at a minimum. As the blades are lowered into engagement with the ballast the weight of the tamping units is partially supported by the ballast and the distance between the ends of the springs or their pivotal connection to the connecting links is increased. As the crosshead is forced further downward by gravity or by the hydraulic ram the springs are further attened and the distance of the pivotal connection between the links is increased. This results in a fulcruming action of the `tamping blades upon the ballast which has been partially compacted or consolidated prior to this point being reached and the result is that a levering action results on the blades to force the` ballast under the ties with a substantial uplifting force on the tie being tamped.

It is a general practice in raising track for theinsertion of ballast under the `tie to use lifting jacks placed along and engaged with the rails. This tends to partially pull the spikes out of the ties which is not desirable and results in the necessity of re-driving of the spikes when the tamping is completed.

A further very great advantage of the assembly is that a minimum of vibration is translated from the vibratory units to the carriage. Approximately of the vibrationsV being ,eliminated by the spring mounting of the vibratory units `as is illustrated herein, this being `demonstrated by commercial use. Further,` there is a reduction of approximately 50% horsepower and further` a careless operator cannot overload the motors by the application of excess downward thrust on the tamping units by the hydraulic` ram.

Furthermore, experience has shown that the mounting is very durable and not subject to detrioration which has been one disadvantage of the structures such as shown in jmy patent and copending application referred to.

I have illustrated and described my invention in a highly practical commercial embodiment thereof. I have not attempted to illustrate and describe other embodiments orV adaptations which I contemplate or which might be desirable for a particular use as it is believed that this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my invention as maybe desired.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by `Letters Patent is:

1.' In a machine of the class described,the combination with a carriage, of a crosshead mounted on said carriage for vertical' adjustment, means for vertically adjusting and applying variable downward thrust to said crosshead, pairs of vertically spaced upwardly bowed semi-elliptical leaf springs disposed transversely of and mounted on said crosshead in longitudinally spaced relation, the springs of the` pairs being disposed one above and the other below the crosshead and secured thereto with projecting springable ends of substantially the same length, links connecting corresponding ends of the pairs of springs, hanger bars mounted on said links for vertical swinging movement in planes parallel to the path of travel of the carriage, hangers mounted on said hanger bars for swinging movement transversely of the planes of swinging movement of the hanger bars, vibratory tamping units mounted on said hangers in opposed pairs, each tampingunit comprising a base having a vibration absorbing connection to said hangers, a motor mounted on `said base and provided with an unbalanced rotor disposedwith its axis longitudinally of the path of travel of the carriage, and pairs of tamper blades having inwardly curved lower ends mounted on said base member in laterally spaced relation.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a carriage, of a crosshead mounted on said carriage for vertical` adjustment, means for vertically adjusting and applying variable downward thrust to said crosshead, pairs of vertically spaced upwardly `bowed semi-elliptical leaf springs disposed transversely of and mounted on said crosshead in longitudinally spaced relation, links connecting corresponding ends of the pairs of springs, hanger bars mounted on said links for vertical swinging movement in planes parallel to the path -of travel of the carriage, hangers mounted on said hanger bars for swinging movement transversely of the planes of swinging movement of the hanger bars, vibratory tamping units mounted on said hangers in opposed pairs, each tamping unit comprising a base having a vibration absorbing connection to said hangers, a motor mounted yon said base and provided with an unbalanced rotor disposed with its axis longitudinally of the path of travel of the carriage, and pairs of-tamper blades having inwardly'curved lower ends mounted on said base member in laterally spaced relation.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a carriage, of a crosshead mounted on said carriage for vertical adjustment, means for vertically adjusting and applying variable downward thrust to said crosshead, pairs of vertically spaced upwardly bowed semi-elliptical leaf'springs disposed transversely of and mounted on said crosshead in longitudinally spaced relation, links connecting corresponding ends of the pairs of springs, hanger bars mounted on said links for vertical swinging movement in planes parallel to the path of travel of the carriage, hangers mounted on said hanger bars for swinging movement transversely of the planes of swinging movement -of `the hanger bars, vibratory tamping units mounted on said hangers in opposed pairs, each tamping unit comprising a base having a vibration absorbing connection to said hangers, a motor mounted on said base and provided with an unbalanced rotor disposed with its axis longitudinally of the path of travel of the carriage, pairs of tamper blades having inwardly curved lower ends mounted Aon said base member in laterally spaced relation, laterally inward swing limiting straps connected to said hanger bars and to said base members, laterally Ioutward swing limiting straps connected to said crosshead and said base members, and longitudinally outward swing limiting straps connected to said crosshead and to the inner ends of said hanger bars.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a carriage, a crosshead mounted on said carriage for vertical adjustment, means for vertically adjusting and applying variable downward thrust to said crosshead, pairs of vertically spaced upwardly bowed springs disposed transversely of and mounted on said crosshead in longitudinally spaced relation, links connecting corresponding ends of the pairs of springs, hanger bars mounted on said links for vertical swinging movement in planes parallel to the path of travel of the carriage, hangers mounted on said hanger bars for swinging movement transversely of the planes of swinging movement of the hanger bars, vibratory tamping units mounted on said hangers in opposed pairs, each unit comprising a base member, means for vibrating said base member, a tamper blade mounted on said base member, laterally inward swing limiting straps connected to said hanger bars and to said base member, laterally outward swing limiting straps connected to said crosshead and said base member, and longitudinally outward swing limiting straps connected to said crosshead and to the inner ends of said hanger bars.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a carriage, a crosshead mounted on said `carriage for vertical adjustment, means for vertically adjusting and applying variable downward thrust to said crosshead, pairs of vertically spaced upwardly bowed springs disposed transversely of and mounted on said crosshead in longitudinally spaced relation, links connecting corresponding ends of the pairs of springs, hanger bars mounted `on said links for vertical swinging movement in planes parallel to the path of travel of the carriage, hangers mounted on said hanger bars for swinging movement transversely of the planes of swinging movement of the hanger bars, vibratory tamping units mounted on said hangers in opposed pairs, each tamping unit comprising a base member, means for vibrating said base member, and a tamper blade mounted on said base member.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a vertically adjustable support member, means for vertically adjusting and applying variable downward thrust to said support member, a pair of vertically spaced upwardly bowed springs mounted centrally thereof on said support, links connecting corresponding ends of the springs, hanger bars mounted on said links for vertical swinging movement, hangers mounted on said hanger bars for swinging movement transversely of the planes of swinging movement of the hanger bars, vibratory tamping units mounted on said hangers in opposed pairs, each tamping unit comprising a base mounted on said hangers, an unbalanced rotor mounted on said base with its axis parallel to said hanger bars, pairs of tamper blades having inwardly curved lower ends mountedv on said base member in laterally spaced relation, laterally inward swing limiting strapsfconnected to said hanger lbars and to said base members, laterally outward swing limiting straps connected to said support member and said base members, and longitudinally outward swing limiting straps connected to support member and to the inner ends of said hanger bars.

7. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a vertically adjustable support member, means for vertically adjusting and applying variable ydownward thrust to said support member, a pair of vertically spaced upwardly bowed springs mounted centrally thereof on said support, links connecting corresponding ends of the springs, hanger bars mounted on said links for vertical swinging movement, hangers mounted on said hanger bars for swinging movement transversely of the planes of swinging movement of the hanger bars, vibratory tamping units mounted on said hangers in opposed pairs, each tamping unit comprising a base mounted on said hangers, an unbalanced rotor mounted on said base with its axis parallel to said hanger bars, pairs of tamper blades having inwardly curved lower ends mounted on said base member in laterally spaced relation.

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a vertically adjustable support member, means for vertically adjusting and applying variable downward thrust to said support member, a pair of vertically spaced upwardly bowed semi-elliptical leaf springs mounted centrally thereof on said support, links connecting corresponding ends of the springs, hanger bars mounted on said links for vertical swinging movement, hangers mounted on said hanger bars for swinging movement transversely of the planes of said swinging movement of the hanger bars, vibratory tamping `units mounted on said hangers in opposed pairs, each tamping unit comprising a basemounted on said hangers, an unbalanced rotor mounted on said base with its axis parallel to said hanger bars, and pairs of tamper blades having inwardly curved lower ends mounted on said base member in laterally spaced relation.

9. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a vertically adjustable support member, means for vertically adjusting and applying variable downward thrust to said support member, a pair of vertically spaced upwardly bowed semi-elliptical leaf springs mounted centrall thereof on said support, links connecting corresponding ends of the springs, hanger bars mounted on said links for vertical swinging movement, hangers mounted on said hanger bars for swinging movement transversely of the planes of swinging movement of the hanger bars, vibratory tamping units mounted on said hangers in opposed pairs, each tamping unit comprising a base mounted on said hangers, an unbalanced rotor mounted on said base with its axis parallel to said hanger bars, tamper blades mounted on said base member laterally inward swing limiting straps connected to said hanger bars and to said base members, laterally outward swing limitin-g straps connected to said support member and necting corresponding ends of the springs, hanger bars mountedon said links for` verticalswinging movement, vibratory tamping units mounted on said 'hangers in opposed relation, and comprising tamper blade support members mounted on said hanger bars for swinging movement transversely thereof, means for vibrating said blade support members carried thereby, and tamper blades havingfinwardly curved lower ends mounted on `said blade support member to be vibrated therewith;`

11. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a vertically `adjustable support member, a pair of vertically` spaced upwardly `bowed springs mountedcentrally thereof on `said support member, links connecting corresponding ends of the springs, hanger bars mounted on said links for vertical swinging movement, vibratory tamping units mounted on said hangers in opposedrelation, and comprising tamper blade support members mounted on said hanger bars, means for vibrating said blade support members carried thereby, and tamper blades having inwardly curved` lower ends mounted (on said blade supportmember to be vibrated therewith.

l2. In a machine of the class described, the `combination of a vertically adjustable support member, `a `pair of vertically spaced upwardly bowed springs mounted centrally thereof on said support member, links connecting corresponding ends of the springs, hanger bars pivotally mounted on said links, vibratory tamping units mounted on said hanger bars in opposed relation, and comprising tamper blade support members mounted on said hanger bars for swinging movement transversely thereof, means `for vibrating said blade support members carried thereby,

and tamper blades mounted on said blade support member to be vbrated therewith.

References cited in the fue of this patentl UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,160,462 Schieferstein May 30, 1939 2,482,111 Jackson Sept. 20 1949 

